Professor Baek Beom-seok of Kyung Hee University Elected as Advisory Member of the UN Human Rights Council

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Professor Baek Beom-seok of Kyung Hee University Graduate School of International Studies was elected as a member of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council Advisory Committee in an election held in Geneva on the 7th (local time), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced. His term will last until September 2023.

This is the third time a Korean figure has entered the committee, following Professor Jeong Jin-seong of Seoul National University’s Department of Sociology and Professor Seo Chang-rok of Korea University Graduate School of International Studies.

The Human Rights Council Advisory Committee is composed of 18 human rights experts with expertise and experience in the human rights field, as well as morality, independence, and fairness. It serves as a think tank responsible for advising the UN Human Rights Council and conducting human rights-related research. The term of office for members is three years, renewable once. Seats are allocated as five each for Africa and Asia, three each for Latin America and the Western group, and two for the Eastern group.

Professor Baek is an expert in international human rights law and has actively participated in major human rights issue research and related discussions while closely communicating and cooperating with the government, academia, and civil society. He has served as an advisory member to government ministries related to human rights, a specialist member of the National Human Rights Commission’s International Human Rights Committee, a director of the Korean Society of International Law, and an auditor of the Korea Human Rights Foundation.

The government is actively supporting the advancement of Korean experts with professionalism into international human rights mechanisms as part of efforts to contribute to the protection and promotion of international human rights. Through Professor Baek’s entry into the UN Human Rights Council Advisory Committee, Korea is expected to further contribute to international human rights protection and promotion efforts.

Currently, in the UN human rights mechanisms, Shin Hye-su serves as a member of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Kim Mi-yeon as a member of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Jeong Jin-seong as a member of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and Baek Tae-woong as a member of the Human Rights Council Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances. Professor Seo Chang-rok, who was elected as a member of the Committee on Civil and Political Rights in September this year, is scheduled to begin his term next year.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.